How does the perception of a product change by the use of acoustic signals? The lecture on "Sound Design – How understanding the brain can enhance auditory and multisensory design" explains why sound design is increasingly used in the design of products, packaging and presentations. It will be held on February 6, 2012 at the Design Museum in London.

Architects of today are no longer only the interface between the drawing board and building sites. Instead, they have to read, interpret, and develop a feeling for poetry, or so Juan Herreros suggests – he's Professor of Architecture and founded Herreros Arcquitectos. On February 15, 2012 he will be lecturing at the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles on the topic of "Dialogue Architecture".

During one hundred days spent in Istanbul, the curators of the exhibition on "Istanbul Alphabet" wandered round the city, collecting objects, sounds and images of everyday product culture. May they seem trivial at first sight, they are nevertheless an expression of the cultural heritage and as such possess an aesthetic of their very own. From February 17 - April 9, 2012 Berlin's Museum der Dinge will open its doors to present the show "Istanbul Alphabet".

"Less, but better," Dieter Rams, long-standing head of design at Braun, once said of good product design. In this regard, the Braun Prize 2012, which is entitled "Genius design for a better everyday", will showcase products that respond with simple solutions to complex everyday challenges. The organizers have called for entries that in particular reveal concepts that consider design and sustainability while also using innovative techniques. For the first time, students can join the professional designers and submit their ideas. Deadline for receipt of ideas is March 31, 2012.